Adjustable control lever



Feb. 15, 193s.` v, J, DODD 2,108,745

ADJUSTABLE CONTROL LEVER Filed 001'.. l5, 1936 /Nrf/VTOR.

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y WMA/m ffl@- Patented Feb. 15, 1938 writ;NTY` oFFlcE g ADJUSTABLE CONTROL LEVER Victor John Dodd, Kalannie, West Australia, Australia Application October 15, 1936, Serial No. 105,814

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an lever.

The operation of the conventional types of control levers presents great difliculty when these levers are of a considerable length. This is particularly the case when the control levers of agricultural implements are to be operated from a tractor. This is because the great length of the levers means that there is a considerable angularity in their positions and further that the release of the pawl by trigger mechanism is generally a matter of some difculty.

The adjustable control lever, the subject of the present invention, is therefore of particular utility as applied to the operation and control of tractor-drawn implements but its use is of more general application and is not so limited.

The invention consists broadly in the use of an articulated control lever that by a simple movement can be reset at a convenient angle and by another simple movement freed to operate a control. The invention will however more readily be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a suitable control lever; Fig. 2 is a plan thereof; Fig. 3 shows the application to a vertical lever and Fig. 4 shows the application of the control to a closed type of quadrant.

As shown in the drawing the control lever is in two articulated parts namely the operating part of the lever IU and an adjustable extension II. The operating portion of the lever is suitably pivoted in relation to the quadrant I2 and it has an extension where the control becomes effective. The quadrant I2 will as usual be provided with a plurality of slots I3 which may of course if desired be in the form of holes or openings as will subsequently be referred to. Adapted to rest and be held in one or other of the slots I3 is a dowel or pin I4 that is connected to the part I0 of the lever. There is an eye jockey bolt I5 positioned transversely and passing through the lever IU and this jockey bolt is engaged by a spring I6. There is a jockey member I1 hinged at one end and passing through the eye portion of the jockey bolt I5 and then extending and acting as a bearing for a jockey roller I8.

The effect of the construction described is that there is a definite tendency to keep the dowel pin 50 I4 in a slot I3. On the other hand by moving the lever Ill laterally in one direction the dowel pin can be pulled clear of the slot and lifted or lowered to a desired position when on being released as far as lateral movement is concerned the dowel pin I4 will jump into and be held in another slot adjustable control (Cl. 'f4-525) I3. The extension II of the lever I0 is pivoted thereto and is adapted to be held in one or other of a number of relatively different angular positions on a quadrant extension I9 of the lever member I0. 'I'here is a spring 20 that in con- 5 junction with a bolt serves to hold the extension in a fixed lateral position with the quadrant extension I9. This is effected by the use of a dowel pin 2I on the lever extension Il and locking holes 22 in the quadrant I9. When the lever extension II isl moved laterally in one direction the dowel pin 2I is freed from the hole in which it is temporarily positioned against the action of the spring 20. The lever extension Il can then be moved into a new position of desired angularity with the lever I0. On releasing the lateral eifort the dowel pin 2| will take up a 'position in another locking hole 22. The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 3 is similar except that the lever member I0 is vertical. In Fig. 4 is illustrated the arrangement when a closed type of quadrant is used for locking the lever member I0. In this case there are holes I3 for locking purposes in place of the slots in the quadrant I2 shown in Fig. l. 25

The arrangement operates as follows. It will be assumed that a tractor driver is controlling an implement from the tractor seat. He nds for example that the lever extension II is too low for him to give the necessary control movement. He thereupon pushes the lever extension laterally so as to free the dowel pin ZI and then he lifts the lever extension I I until it has a new angularity in relation to the portion ID of the lever that will allow him to give the necessary control movement to the latter. He thereupon releases the lateral pressure on the lever extension I I and the said extension is thereby locked in the quadrant I9 in the desired position. He then pushes the lever laterally in the opposite direction to that first mentioned. This has the effect of releasing the dowel pin I4 from the quadrant. He can then apply the necessary control movement through the lever extension II which of course operates with the portion Il] of the lever as one unit. When the necessary movement has been given releasing the lever results in it becoming locked in a new position in relation to the quadrant I2.

I claimv1. An adjustable control lever comprising a slotted plate, a member being pivoted to and having a face resiliently held against one face of said slotted plate, means mounted on said member for normally engaging the slots of said slotted 55 member against a face of said quadrant, a pin mounted on said member face for normally engaging the slots of said quadrant, said member having openings formed through its free curved end, an extension lever, a pin mounted on said extension lever for engaging the slots formed in said J-shaped member and resilient means tending to hold one face of said extension lever against the aforementioned face of said J-shaped member.

VICTOR JOHN DODD. 

